One exception proves nothing, but the upside-down discussions about home insurance regulations in Illinois reached a fitting conclusion last week when Democrats couldn’t agree on reforms and the issue died at the end of veto session.

Our state’s regulations are “among the most toothless in the nation,” according to a July quote from Douglas Heller, insurance director for the Washington-based Consumer Federation of America, in a Capitol News Illinois story. The remark contradicts Illinois’ reputation as a terrible place to do business because of all the burdensome red tape existing chiefly to enrich trial lawyers.

But average premiums increased 50% from 2021 to 2024, so leading Democrats like the governor and Statehouse chamber leaders got behind a plan requiring insurers to give clients 60 days of notice if their premiums were increasing by 10% or more and empowering the state to review rate changes and possibly order refunds for increases deemed excessive.

The House approved House Bill 3799 in April. The Senate didn’t add floor amendments until Oct. 29, then sent it back to the House on a 41-15 vote Oct. 30. From there, the House Rules Committee voted 3-2 to recommend two amendments be adopted, but each failed on the House Floor 56-37 with six Democrats voting present.

“Bills are rarely defeated on the floor of either chamber because leaders are usually careful not to call bills for a vote unless they are confident there are enough votes to pass them,” wrote CNI’s Peter Hancock. “And on those occasions when a vote appears to be coming up short, the bill’s sponsor will typically make a motion just before the final tally is recorded to delay final consideration of the bill so it can remain alive and negotiations can continue.”

That failure contradicts the General Assembly’s reputation as a place where powerful Democrats always get what they want and subverts the expectation of the veto session as a setting for ramming through transformative legislation on deadline in dark of night. Not that critics can’t raise those concerns about other agendas that crossed the finish line last week, but this is a bit like reporting on a car crash: It’s not news when all the buses get to school safely, that’s just how things work.

The idea is tabled, not defeated. State Sen. Michael Hastings, D-Frankfort, the chief sponsor, said the insurance industry lobbied hard against the plan, but he’ll bring it back in January. Republicans surely will renew their opposition, but none will genuinely claim surprise.

The moral? Sometimes bills that fail tell us as much or more about the legislative process as those the governor quickly signs into law. This reform may yet come, but by a road less traveled.

• Scott T. Holland writes about state government issues for Shaw Local News Network. He can be reached at sholland@shawmedia.com.